More than 100 people attended the first in a yearlong series of events commemorating the 1788 founding of the town.

The church was chosen, said anniversary committee head Susan Murphy, "because this is where it all got started."

Brookfield was first settled in 1710 by John Muirwood and others who bartered for the land from the Wyantenuck Indian Nation. The town was named after the first minister of the Congregational Church, the Rev. Thomas Brooks, who was pastor for 31 years.

Brookfield now has more than 16,000 residents.

Sunday's celebration began with an invocation by the current pastor, the Rev. Bryn Smallwood-Garcia, and a talk by Brown on the history of the town between 1740 and 1788. The event also included the presentation of a proclamation from the General Assembly by state Rep. David Scribner, who represents Brookfield in Hartford.

The anniversary kickoff was jointly sponsored by the church and the Brookfield Garden Club, which provided refreshments afterward. Many other local organizations will host events as the year goes on, Murphy said.